This invention relates generally to plumbing fixtures and, more particularly, to a convenient access to the trap of a toilet bowl for clearing obstructions therein.
The trap or siphon of a toilet bowl often becomes clogged with a variety of materials, such as children's toys, paper, waste, bathroom articles, or the like. While some obstructions may be dislodged using a plumber's snake, other obstructions cannot be removed except by disconnecting the toilet, dismounting the toilet from the floor, removing the obstruction from the trap, and then remounting the toilet. This procedure is inconvenient, expensive, and may require the assistance of a plumber.
Various toilet bowl constructions have been proposed for providing access to the trap of a toilet bowl for removing an obstruction therefrom, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,376,313 and 3,681,791. While such constructions utilize an opening through the exterior toilet bowl wall, they require the use of one or more fasteners and tools to seal a closure member over the opening. The necessary fasteners and tools may become lost and are inconvenient when an obstruction is desired to be quickly removed.
It is therefore desirable to have a toilet bowl construction which provides direct access to the trap. It is further desirable to have a toilet bowl construction in which the access opening is sealed during normal operation. Finally, it is desirable that the sealing member can be inserted or removed from the access opening without the use of any tools or fasteners.